Heart And Stroke Report 2013

2013-11-04

By: Libby Znaimer

How healthy do you think you are? How healthy are you really? According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s annual report on the health of Canadians, when it comes to Zoomers, there’s a big disconnect between those two things. The online survey focused on baby boomers and found that while 80% of respondents described themselves as healthy, their health habits told a very different story. And even after being diagnosed with chronic conditions like heart disease or diabetes, these Zoomers rarely made
lifestyle changes that could improve quality of life or prolong their lives.

Nearly 85% of respondents did not eat the recommended number of fruits and vegetables per day. More than 60% were overweight or obese, 40% fell short of ideal physical activity levels. 30% said they were often or always stressed, 20% were smokers, and 11% suggested they were heavy drinkers.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation says these habits are setting people up for years of disappointment because they are ignoring the fact that long life is not always equated with good health. And People often live up to 10 years beyond the time their health has deteriorated.
The bottom line is try to make those common sense changes that can add to a longer, healthier life.